Work Zone Safety

1. Work Zone Safety CE 486 Spring 2004 DISCLAIMER: This document is provided as part of the requirements of a civil engineering course at Iowa State University and does not constitute a professional engineering design or a professional land surveying document. Although the information is intended to be accurate, students, instructors, and Iowa State University make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information. The user of this document shall ensure that such use does not violate Iowa law with regard to professional licensing and certification requirements, including any work resulting from this student-prepared document required to be under the responsible charge of a licensed engineer or surveyor. RoadSafety@iastate.edu

2. Acknowledgements • Client Mark Bortle, Safety Engineer (IDOT) • Advisors Dr. John Lamont (ECpE) Prof. Ralph Patterson III (ECpE) AAP Duane Smith P.E. (CCEE) Prof. Veronica Dark (Psych)

3. Road Construction Safety TeamSD-May04-01Outline • Defining the RS-4 Work Zone Matthew Baker: EE • Analyzing Crash Data Nancy Suby-Bohn: CE

4. Outline“Grabbing driver’s cognitive reasoning” • Distracted or “Zoned Out” Josh Keith: CE • Classical Conditioning Angel Anderson: CprE • Instrumental Conditioning Abdul Nuhu: EE

5. Outline • Real-time Information Clinton Dawson: CprE • Education the Public Amit Agarwal: CprE

6. http://seniord.ee.iastate.edu/may0401/ Photo courtesy IDOT

7. Photo courtesy of Work Zone Safety for Iowa DOT Construction Projects

8. Work Zone • day or night • scheduled daily work Picture courtesy of MUTCD 2000

9. Flagger Flagger Combined with a pilot car Picture courtesy of MUTCD 2000

10. Flagger Flagger Combined with a pilot car • Lane Closure • usually stretches between 2 and 2 ½ miles Picture courtesy of MUTCD 2000

12. 1 - Lane closure 2 - Lane shift/crossover (head-to-head traffic) ** 3 - Work on Shoulder or median 4 - Intermittent or Moving work ** 8 - Other type of work zone (explained in narrative) 9 - Unknown

14. Temporary Rumble Strips • Placement- Advance Warning Area • Tactile and auditory stimulus to focus driver’s attention on impending construction • ¼” Thickness combined with road construction orange • Currently determining ideal placement pattern and ADT guidelines • Research from MwSWZDI and Texas Transportation Institute

15. Distractions • Cell Phones • Road Hypnosis • Passengers • Daily pattern/rut

18. Possible Reasons Getting one’s attention is not the same as getting to one’s decision process. • Classical Conditioning – Stop Sign • Instrumental Conditioning – reaction to a police car • Learned Irrelevance – lack of need to respond • Conscious Choice – realizing a need to respond Veronica Dark, Assoc Professor, Department of Psychology, ISU

20. Signs www.addcoinc.com/t_smart.htm and pennsylvania IDOT

21. www.addcoinc.com/t_smart.htm

22. Variable Message Fine Display Sign • Radar + Variable Message Board + Fine • Easily Programmable • Data Collection Options

23. The Current Problem Photo courtesy of Work Zone Safety for Iowa DOT Construction Projects

24. Work Zone Exit/Entrance • Goal: Design all encompassing system • Configure light timing mechanisms • Determine most effective light configuration • Modify traffic lights to needed specifications • Two approaches considered • Portable traffic light • 3 mode portable traffic light w/gate

25. Work Zone Exit/Entrance cont… • Portable traffic light • Seven day battery life before charge with optional solar power unit. • A cell-phone based status monitor informs workers of malfunctions • Vehicle presence sensor mode • Ability to operate continuously for 365 days a year

26. Work Zone Exit/Entrance cont… • 3 mode portable traffic light w/gate • Seven day battery life before charge with optional solar power unit. • Removable break away gate • Automatic mode, Manual mode, and • Wired remote mode.

27. 511 Phone/Website • Suggestions to improve or change current 511 website • Make changes to the 511 automated phone-system • Add features • Spread awareness among public to increase use • Raise user friendliness of the system

29. Current Methods • Research methods used currently • Whom do they target? • Do they fulfill the requirement of the project? • Adaptable? • Cost Effectiveness • Different campaigns underway nationally • Study the campaigns in Iowa and other states • Analyze their effectiveness • Whether they are realizable in Iowa

30. Educational component • Multiple Objectives: • Educate the public (drivers, future drivers) • Different types of drivers (SUVs, cars, trucks, etc..) • Different approaches for each category • Educate the construction workers • Using the new setup • Basic safety guidelines to follow

31. Conclusion • Different components being designed for greater effectiveness • All the components might not be implemented immediately or together • Components are aimed for maximum cognitive stimulation • Components meet design plan submitted to the client

32. RS-4 Road Standard

33. Any Questions? Photo courtesy of Work Zone Safety for Iowa DOT Construction Projects